Purpose:
To enact a uniform requirement of comprehensive health insurance or
coverage for certain international students
Date Approved:
February
8, 1996
Background:
The
Board enacted this policy at its February 10, 1994 meeting. Following further review and experience with
the policy, the requirements were amended to exclude certain citizens of a
bordering nation from this requirement if they attend a component institution
located in a county that borders on the nation in which they reside.
In order to establish comprehensive health insurance or coverage for international students among all component institutions of The University of Texas System, the Board:
a. Required international students holding nonimmigrant visas and living in the United States to maintain approved comprehensive health insurance or coverage while enrolled at U. T. System component institutions, except as provided in item d. below
b. Authorized each component institution to assess each such
international student a health insurance fee (as an incidental fee authorized
by Texas Education Code Section 54.504)
in the amount of the premium approved for the U. T. System Student Health
Insurance Plan for the actual cost of the insurance provided where there is no
evidence of continuing coverage under the U. T. System Employee Health
Plan or a comparable mandatory employee plan, continuing mandatory
coverage through a government sponsored health plan (which covers
health care in the United States and complies with the federal
Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987) or continuing coverage that
satisfies the requirements of United States Information Agency (USIA)
regulations with regard to J-1 and J-2 visaholders. Further, authorized the assessment of an incidental fee in the
amount of the appropriate premium for dependents of J-1 visaholders as required
by these federal regulations and required international students to immediately
notify the institution should there be a lapse in approved alternative coverage
c. Encouraged all international students to participate in the
U. T. System Student Health Insurance Plan
d. Excepted from the insurance requirement, students from a
bordering nation attending a component institution in a county adjacent to the
nation in which the student legally resides
e. Authorized catalog changes for all component institutions
to make this requirement effective with the Fall Semester 1996.
Last reviewed September 2000